Synchronous control of color screens



Augen, m31- H. A. KLIEGL 1,818,718

SYNCHRONOUS CNTROL 0F COLOR SCREENS Filed Jun 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F IGA.

l Y am f 3o consists ofa motor and generator Patented Aug. `11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT A. RLIRCL, OF NRWl YORK, N.l Y., AssICNoR To KLIRCL BROS. UNIVERSAL ELECTRIC, STAGRVLIGHTING CO., INC., OR

NEW YORK NEW yYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF sYNCnRONOUs CONTROL OF COLORsCRRRNs Appnmin med June 20, 1929. 'seriai No'.v 372,282.

This invention pertains to the control of color screens in connection with the illumination ofl theatre stages.A y'

ASpot lights for such work Aare usually equipped with a number of color screens adapted to be selectively placed before the light in order to provide the desired illumination color eects. I

vDevices have been usedheretofore by which the operator was enabled to manipulate the screens from a distance, as for instance when the lights were at the back of the auditorium and the Operator on the stage. VSuch devices have usually been operated electromagnetically, a solenoid at the light being energized to actuate a screen whenever the operator `would close a switch. Great difficulty has been encountered in securing dependable op- `erationofsuch arrangementsbecause of fluc- 0 tuatingline voltage, dusty contacts, noise of solenoids when used withalternating current,` noise and "breakage lof screensfdue to slam- `pc ming, etc. y These troubles werek multiplied 'wlien'it was necessaryl to actuate screens on severalr spot lights simultaneously,as is often required. n

The object of the present invention is to lovercome allv the above difficulties by the use of theSelsyn control system. This system which are some respects like `three-phase induction motors, but havev shuttle wound rotors rwith definite poles whose windings are connected by slip ringskto single'p'hase, alternating currentsource of excitation. The generator is located thelpoint'of actuation' and the *motoriat the point of reception. VVhenfthe 'generator is turned c by the operator the motor turns synchronously therewith in the same Y direction, at the same,speed,and-through the same arc. This system l1s well known and is not claimedper sebut only in connection with `mechanism adapting it forlthepurposeintended."` y Y y y Further and other objects andadvantages willfbe apparent from thespecification and claims, and from the drawings which show by way of illustrationrwhat is considered the 'preferred form'of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a spot-light With Vwhen any motor and generator by'wires four color screens each operable by a Selsyn motor. l a

Fig. 2 is a front view of the spot light and screens, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail on the. line 3.-3 ofFig. 4. l Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4- -4 of Fig. 1. f

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram including the generators and lights for giving a Visual indication to the operator as tothe positions of-'the screens. v

In the drawings, 10 isthe spot light, to the side of which is bolted a box-like housing or being secured by a clamp 16 to'one of the f concentric shafts 18, 20, 22, 24, which are supported forrotation in brackets 26, on the upr lpart of frame 12. Each screen is balanced about its axis by a counterweight 28 on the opposite'side of its shaft. Y l f VMounted on frame 12 are four ASelsyn motors 30, the shaft32 of each motor being provided'on` itsl yupper end with a bevel pinion 34 engaging a bevel gear 36 fast lon one of the shafts y18, 20, 22, 24 in such manner that motor 30 rotatesits lshaft 32, one screen shaft is rotated" and the `screen attached to the other end thereof is also moved. Fig. 3 shows gear securedto hollow shaft V6, are eachv provided with a knob `421by means of-which the generator rotor is rotated by j thel operator. The rotor of each'generator 40 is wiredv to the rotor of each motor 30 by three wires 44 andthe threewires 46 leadingV therefromf'Line wires 50 are connected to arrangement, :whenever the knob 42 on any generator is rotated through any given arc, the motor 30,*wired to that generator will turn' through the samearc and thev particular screen geared to that motor will beV moved.

'It' will be apparent scribed arrangement `provides* very convenient means for moving the screens from op.

tuy

52. Withthis y that the above de- Clt erative to inoperative position, and vice versa. There will be no movement of a screen until knob 42 is rotated. When rotation of a knob 42 occurs, the corresponding screen will be moved to the desired point and held there until the operator again moves the knob. i

It is sometimes desired to control screens of the same color simultaneously on a number of lights. This is easily accomplished in the present system by simply extending wires 44 and connecting motors thereto. Fig. 6 shows motors 30A and 30B of second and third lights connected by wires 46A and 46B to lines 44, and by wires 52A and 52B to the supply lines 50.

In order to give the operator a visual indicationl as to the positions of the screens there is a colored light at each generator 40, of the same color as the screen or screens controlled by that generator. When any generator is rotated to place a screen in operative position, a cam 62 fast on the protruding shaft of the generator closes the adjacent switch 64 to light the corresponding colored lamp 60 and to hold it lighted until the generator and screen are returned to their normal positions. f

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction and embodiment herein described but may be used in other ways without departurefrom its spirit` as deiined by the following claims.V

I claim- 1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a spot light, a screen having operable and inoperable positions relatively to said spot light, a manually rotatable generator remote from said light, and a motor operatively connected to said screen, said motor land 'generator being electrically interconnected so that rotation of said generator through any arc will cause said motor to .rotate through a certain arc, whereby said screen may be moved between its operable and inoperable positions at the will of the operator.-

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 in which means is` provided operable automati-A cally when said generator is rotated for indicating to the operator the position of the screen.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, a. plurality of color screens atA different locations and means for simultaneously controlling the positions of said screens, said means comprising a motor geared to each screen, anda manually rotatable generator remote from said motors, said generator and motors. being electrically interconnected so that rotation of said genen ator will cause said motors to rotate, whereby said screens may be simultaneously moved at the will of the operator. Y

4. A color control apparatus for a spot light, comprising in combination a plurality of color screens movably mounted on said light, a plurality of motors mounted on said light, a plurality of concentric shafts each operatively connecting one of said motors to one of said screens whereby each of said screens may be moved by the motor associated with said screen, each oit' said motors being so electrically interconnected with a remote manually rotatable generator that rotation of any generator will cause rotation of the motor interconnected therewith whereby the screen geared to that motor may be moved at the will of the operator.

5,'In combination, a spot light for color control apparatus, a plurality of color screens, a motor for each color screen connected thereto to move the same :from operative to inoperative position, a plurality of generators, electrical connections between the armatures of said motors and generators, and a source of current connected in parallel to the fields of said motors and generators whereby upon rotation of the generator armature a substantially corresponding rotation of the associated motor armature is obtained.

6. In combination, a spot light :tor color control apparatus, a plurality of color screens, a motor for each color screen connected thereto to move the same from operative to inoperative position,a plurality of generators, electrical connections between the armatures of said motors and' generators, a source of current connected in parallel to the fields of said motors and generators whereby upon rotationfof the generator armature a substantially corresponding rotation of the associated motor armature is obtained, and means operated in the rotation of the generator armature for indicating the position of the screen connected with the associated motor.

7. In combination, a spot light for color control apparatus, a plurality of color screens, a motor for each color screen connected thereto to move the same from operative to inoperative position, a plurality of generators, electrical connections between the armatures of said motors and generators, a source of currentv connected in parallel to the elds of said` motors and generators whereby upon vrotation of the generator armature a substantially corresponding rotation oi" the associated motor armature is obtained, and an indicating lamp arranged `in parallel in the source of current and in series with a switch actuated in the rotation of the generatorarmature.

8. In apparatus of the class described in combination, a plurality of spot lights, a plur rality of independently operated pivote-d screens having operable and inoperable positions, manually rotatable members remote from said light, reversible electrical motors for driving the screens and electrical transmission means interconnecting said motors and members whereby rotation of any member in either direction will cause a particular screen to move correspondingly and synchronously with said member for the purpose set forth.

9. In combination, a spot light for color control apparatus, a plurality of color screens, a reversible electric motor for each color screen connected thereto vto move the same from operative to inoperative position, a plurality of reversible generators, and electrical connections between said generators and motors whereby rotation of any generator in either direction will cause a particular screen to move correspondingly and synchronously with said generator.

10. In combination, a spot light for color control apparatus, a plurality of color screens, a reversible electric motor for each color screen connected thereto to move thejsame from operative to inoperative position, a plurality of reversible generators, electrical connections between said generators and motors whereby rotation of any generator in either direction will cause a particular screento move correspondingly and synchronously with said generator, and means operated in the rotation of the generator for indicating the position of the screen connected with the associated motor.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiix my signature. A

HERBERT A. KLIEGL. 

